3. Minneapolis, Mn. -- With seven local hospitals, the second-most home daycare businesses per capita, affordable home prices, 19 Fortune 500 companies, and some of the best public schools in the country, Minneapolis provides a number of attractive attributes for families.

2. Portland, Ore. -- With the lowest cost of living on the west coast, raising a child in Portland is kinder on the family budget than other coastal cities. Moreover, support for mothers in Portland is written in the public code. The city allows public breastfeeding and requires background checks for caregivers. An added bonus, of course, is that Voodoo Doughnut isn't far off to assuage midnight cravings.

1. Scottsdale, Ariz. -- The nation's "most western town" also turns out to be the most hospitable to children. A below-average employment rate and availability of organic food, coupled with 67 miles of paved trails, make Scottsdale a perennial favorite by both The Street.com and Parents magazine.